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district 1 • st. louis county
“I have experienced the power of people working together and their collective brilliance. I believe in US, and that all voices really matter. That’s why I stepped up to run”
Turning plans into funded, on-the-ground projects
Years of nonprofit leadership and protecting our waterways
PHOTO: Kris at the river or community event -- action shot, not posed
I want to explain why I am challenging an incumbent. While I am grateful to people willing to serve, we need to bring the community into county decision making, especially as our human rights, democracy, and the environment are under attack.
Most county board decisions are made under the radar of the public. One of the questions I hear from delegates is: what does the county do? This disconnect matters. It gives corporations an advantage over the public. It also keeps us from building the solutions we need most.
I'm running because I have built my career around bringing community together to build solutions. We came together to do the largest cleanup of the St. Louis River in history. We can come together now to tackle the big issues waiting at the county level.
I grew up near Lake Superior and the St. Croix River. I moved to Duluth in 2010 because I have always felt at home on the water. I know how frustrated people are and I know that the antidote to what we're facing is community. That's what I'll bring to county government.
I want people to feel like I am listening and that they have hope and a voice.
Almost everyone I know is struggling. People are yelling into the void and no one is hearing them.
I stepped up because my life skills and experience meet the need of this moment, and my need to help.
-KRIS EILERS
Led the organization to grow membership, expand programming, worked with partners to obtain the National Water Trail Designation, connected thousands of people to the St. Louis River, inspiring stewardship, and turned community vision into real results.
Built lasting partnerships across the Twin Ports region, fiscal management, human resources, coalition-building. Secured private and public funds through grants and fundraising.
Your Vote Matters
There is a primary election on August 11, 2026. That is the election that determines who makes it to the general election in November.
Every vote in the primary counts, including yours!
Here is everything you need to participate.
Primary Election
Tuesday, August 11, 2026
General Election
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
You must be registered to vote in Minnesota. You can register online up to 21 days before the election, or register in person on Election Day at your polling place.
Register OnlineAlready registered? Confirm your status and make sure your address is current. If you have moved since you last voted, update your registration.
Check Registration StatusYour polling place may have changed. Look up your assigned location before Election Day so you know exactly where to go on August 11.
Find Your Polling PlaceEarly voting opens 46 days before the primary -- that's late June. You can also request an absentee ballot and vote by mail. No excuse required in Minnesota.
Request Absentee Ballot
County government should work alongside our communities, not above them. Kris will make constituent access a top priority, including bringing public comment back into regular county board meetings.
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Restore public comment at county board meetings
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Regular constituent listening sessions across District 1
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Transparent, accountable county governance
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Ban NDAs for elected officials
Clean water and healthy land aren't just environmental issues, they're community and economic issues. Kris has 15 years of hands-on experience doing this work, not just making policy about it.
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Data center moratorium to protect our water and land
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Fight copper-nickel mining (supports Prove It First bill)
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Carbon-free goals and renewable energy investment
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Strong environmental protections against corporate influence
Restoration and conservation create jobs. Healthy lands and waters mean stronger tourism, recreation, and community vitality. Environment and economy go hand in hand. We can create jobs while protecting the places we love.
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Address the housing crisis with a county-wide plan
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Protect Medicaid and county healthcare programs
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Invest in childcare, education, and job training
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Green job training and infrastructure investment
Hyper-scale data centers extract profits from our communities while providing little
lasting benefit. They drive up electricity bills, consume and possibly pollute clean water, and destroy wetlands. The public deserves and demands transparency to better understand the impacts to our water-rich community. The technology has outpaced our ability to regulate it and we need to hit pause.
SUPPORTS MORATORIUM
The housing crisis impacts all of us. Kris will make the county a lead convener on a region-wide housing plan. She supports Right to Repair, rent stabilization, and funding for people experiencing homelessness, including Chum’s Stepping On Up model.
Supports Rent Stabilization
Kris knows firsthand the importance of Medicaid. She will do everything in her power to protect county-provided healthcare programs. Resources exist if we work together creatively so property taxes for low-income households do not rise.
Protect County Healthcare
Kris opposes county and local law enforcement collaborating with ICE and CBP. She will build a clear plan to protect community members and county staff, including banning ICE from count-owned buildings.
No Ice Collaboration
As an openly gay person, Kris will continue to live openly and proudly. She will work to preserve legal rights with respect to marriage, adoption, employment, and gender identity. She will fight against any federal initiatives stripping queer people of their rights.
Full Protection
Tribes are sovereign nations. Working with tribal partners means taking on diplomatic roles including listening deeply, delivering on promises, and approaching every project with a learning mindset, not just checking a box.
Deep Partnership
NDAs are never appropriate for elected officials. Kris supports an immediate ban on NDAs at the state and local level. Transparency is critical to preserve trust between officials and those they represent. No more closed-door decisions.
Ban NDAs
Kris supports the Prove It First bill requiring that companies must demonstrate they can mine without causing serious environmental damage before being permitted. Our water and ecosystems are not negotiable.
SUPPORTS Prove It First
Kris fully supports reproductive justice, including unobstructed access to IVF and abortion. At the county level, she will work to ensure residents can access the reproductive healthcare they need.
Full Support
Small-dollar donations from neighbors like you are the backbone of grassroots campaigns. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps Kris knock doors, make calls, and bring this message to every corner of District 1.
If you would like to donate by check, write to "Kris Eilers for Duluth” and mail to - 324 E 8th St, Duluth, MN 55805
Paid for and prepared by the Kris Eilers for Duluth Committee, 324 E 8th St Duluth MN 55805.
